When Death Calls
by 0Zerotolerence
Summary: Death is inevitable. But when one Rose Quartz gives up her physical form to bring a young human into existence, fusing her soul with his, well.. what is Death to do now? (This story is inspired by Dragon Elexus and her story "do not fear." Discworld is an amazing series, and though I've only read and watched Soul Music, I plan to look into it. I highly recommend you do so as well.)
1. Curiosity

**Author's Note: This story is inspired by Dragon Elexus and her story "do not fear". Please check out her stuff, she definitely deserves it.**

 **I hope you all enjoy this, despite how different it is from my usual genres. it won't last long, maybe one or two chapters, but I'll enjoy this either way.**

* * *

Rose Quartz had just left the waking world.

Inside of Greg's van, her physical form disappeared to be replaced by a baby boy, held in his father's arms.

The gem in his stomach still shined with her essence, and for a moment, everyone was happy. Just for a moment, everyone celebrated the birth of new life. Just for a moment.. the world stood still.

Then the reality hit.

Greg clutched the boy tightly to his chest as they both cried.

Garnet split herself into her two halves, and Ruby and Sapphire held each other for comfort.

Amethyst had ran into the temple. She didn't want to experience this.. not now, at least. She would greet Steven after a good nap.

Pearl just.. stood there. Her hands were clamped over her mouth. She would have cried, if she had tears left to shed this night.

They all made a promise to themselves.. no harm would befall this child's form.

The Crystal Gems would protect Steven, the new bearer of Rose's gem, with their lives.

As these actions occurred, He watched from atop the lighthouse above the Crystal Temple.

This was.. odd. A life was given to bring about another life, yet.. the first life still exists.

He had come to take the pink one's soul, but to do that, He would have to take the boy's as well. It was not his time, however. Steven's time was just beginning.

He turned from the scene and snapped his bony fingers. In an instant, a pristine white horse appeared from the shadows of the night sky, flying to stand beside his master.

Without a word, He folded his scythe and set it in the holster on the horse's saddle. He climbed onto his horse, taking one last look down to the group below him.

 **WE WILL RETURN LATER. THEY DESERVE THEIR TIME TO GRIEVE.**

And with a gentle nudge to the horse's sides, the stranger returned to his domain.

* * *

A few years have passed, and the construction of the beach house is finished.

Steven enjoyed his first day living with the gems. They treated him well, and he was comfortable in his new home. He was going to miss living with his father, of course, but this was better for everyone.

The gems were in the living room on the couch, listening as Steven excitedly told them all the adventures they were going to have.

"This is going to be so fun!" He exclaimed with his arms in the air, pacing in front of his caretakers. "We can play a bunch of board games, we can play tag, hide and seek, and oh!" He stopped pacing, facing the gems with stars in his eyes. "I can show you guys what Beach City Funland is like!"

"I'm excited for you, Steven.." Pearl said calmly, her hands folded over her lap. "But it's getting late. Greg is going to come over soon to put you to bed."

"It's his first night here, P, let him live a little." Amethyst was laying on her side, head propped up her hand.

"No no, Pearl's right." Steven said, a serious expression on his face. "This is the last night my dad's gonna be here when I go to sleep, so I gotta be ready for it. I'm gonna go get ready!" And then the boy ran to the bathroom to prepare for the night.

Pearl and Amethyst sighed, smiling sadly at Steven's excitement. He was so innocent, so pure.. As if Rose truly embodied his spirit.

Garnet stood up from the couch, not having said a word during this conversation. Then again, she usually never did.

But this time, when she did speak, her voice was soft, genuine. Vulnerable.

"I'm glad he's happy.."

Steven was asleep.

Greg gently closed the book that he was reading to his son. As quietly as possible, the man stood from Steven's bed and made his way down stairs.

The gems greeted Greg at the bottom of the stairs.

"How is he?" Pearl asked, always the worry-wort.

"He's sleeping like a rock." Greg put a hand on the back of his head, chuckling at his own pun. "I don't think anything can wake him up."

"That's good.." Pearl seemed relieved. Steven was well.

"Yeah.. well I'm going to go ahead and head on back to my van. You guys have a good night."

It was still awkward to talk to the gems like this, especially Pearl. Greg was sure she still held contempt for him for taking Rose away.

Of course, the gems all promised to not use their powers against humans, but Greg believed that if that promise was never made.. then he would have died a long time ago.

So he left without another word, leaving the gems alone.

The gems didn't reply to Greg and his goodbye. They didn't feel the need to.

Amethyst was the first to start on her way to the temple, putting a hand over her mouth as she yawned.

"Welp, I'm gonna catch some Z's myself. Building a house is tiring.."

"Please.." Pearl scoffed, crossing her arms. "I've seen you run miles just to get to a new fast food restaurant."

"I think we're _**all**_ tired, Pearl.." Garnet spoke, placing a hand on the pristine gem's shoulder. Garnet gestured to Amethyst, silently telling Pearl to look at her teammate once more.

When Pearl did as instructed, she found out that Amethyst looked absolutely exhausted.

The purple gem kept up appearances for Steven's sake, but in actuality, she was tired of dealing with her emotions. She didn't want to experience all of this, she didn't want these feelings that had crawled into her heart.

Pearl realized that Amethyst felt just like she and Garnet did.. they were torn between their grief for Rose and their dedication to keep her son safe and happy.

"Yes.." Pearl agreed. "We're all tired."

Amethyst took this as permission to finally enter her room. The purple gem walked up to the temple and opened her door.

Though, before she actually entered her room, there was a knock on the door of the beach house.

"Now what would Greg want at this hour? Didn't he say he was going home?" Pearl immediately thought the intruder was Steven's father.

"It's not Greg." Garnet knew.. The knock sounded too hard on the wooden surface of the door. Greg's hands were covered in flesh, and would have made a softer sound.

"Whoever is out there just needs to go away." Amethyst said in annoyance as she stepped away from the temple door.

"I'll send them off.." Pearl made her way to the door, opening it to greet the intruder. But when the door opened, there was no one on the other side.

Instead, a lone, hooded figure shrouded in black stood on the beach. His cloak blew around His ankles occasionally in the wind.

"Uh, hello?" Pearl called out. "I'm sorry, but we're not taking visitors at the moment."

 **I KNOW.**

The stranger's voice was so.. disturbing. Yet, it was calming at the same time. It felt as if.. as if the voice was being projected directly into Pearl's mind.

Pearl felt a shiver down her spine and, unconsciously, took a step back from the doorway. She turned to Garnet and Amethyst with wide eyes, silently asking them what to do.

Garnet took action. She stepped outside of the house, followed by Amethyst and Pearl. The pristine gem felt more comfortable being behind her leader rather than in front of her.

The gems made their way down to the beach to stand a few feet in front of the stranger. Upon closer inspection, they realized that the man wasn't human.. His face, shadowed by His hood, was completely void of skin and muscle.

Though, looking hard enough in the sockets of His eyes, they found a gleaming blue. They felt as if they were staring into the void, as if they could fall infinitely into an abyss just by looking into this man's eyes.

 **AM I THAT CHARMING?  
**

The man's voice brought the gems from their reverie. Garnet spoke first, averting her gaze from the man's eyes from under her shades.

"What do you want?"

 **THAT IS AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.**

The stranger brought up His hands, which were just as skinless as his face. Instinctively, the gems summoned their weapons to protect themselves, but all the stranger did was pull back the hood of His cloak.

 **I REMEMBER MANY THINGS.**

The air of His voice was overwhelming.. It literally forced the gems to keep quiet as He spoke.

 **I REMEMBER EVERYTHING. BUT THERE ARE TIMES WHERE I UNDERSTAND.. NOTHING.**

 **THE BOY IN THAT HOUSE IS A PHENOMENON UNKNOWN TO EVEN THE BEYOND.**

"How do you know about Steven?" Amethyst demanded with hostility, baring her teeth to the stranger.

 **I TOLD YOU. I REMEMBER EVERYTHING.**

"But you've never even seen him.." Pearl said, the disbelief in her voice prominent.

 **I HAVE A VERY UNIQUE MEMORY.**

"Who are you?" Garnet asked the question they were all afraid to utter. Each gem felt as if they knew the answer, like it should be as clear as day to them. They knew who the person in front of them was.. but they were afraid to admit it.

The stranger's next words sent fear directly into the hearts of the gems. If they were afraid before, they were terrified now.

He put a bony hand to his chest in a gesture of peace.

 **I AM DEATH.**


	2. Confrontation

_"No!"_ Pearl shrieked, throwing her spear like a javelin toward the man who calls Himself Death.

Her rash action was justified. If what this entity said was true, not to mention the fact that He knew Steven, well.. she had to protect him.

She was pleasantly surprised to see that Death made no attempt to dodge the attack. The spear passed right through Him.

Now He stood with a hole in the front and back of his cloak, though He seemed completely unfazed. Looking down, he examined the rip in his cloth and let out a deep, shuddering sigh.

 **DO YOU KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO FIND A CLOAK FOR MY.. BODY TYPE?**

To see that He was unharmed threw Pearl into a frenzy. She summoned another spear and rushed the cloaked figure. No matter the cost, she would protect Rose's legacy.

But as she ran.. she found herself running further away from her target. It was odd, really. With every step she took, Pearl felt as if Death glided away from her. The world around her acted normally, though the cloaked figure.. His form gradually kept its distance, yet it was like He wasn't moving at all.

Suddenly, Pearl found herself falling.

She could feel a pit in her stomach as she fell through what seemed to be a dark abyss. The inky black surrounding her was unnerving, but not nearly so much as the electric blue she was falling toward.

It all happened so quickly, but she somehow knew.. she was falling into the gaze of Death.

Just as suddenly as it started, the illusion dispersed. Pearl was still standing beside Garnet and Amethyst. She never even moved from her spot after attempting to skewer Death with her spear.

Pearl stared at the figure before them, His face calm, calculating.

Then everything came crashing down on her.

Pearl retched. The pristine, usually composed gem fell to her hands and knees, chest heaving as her human stomach emptied itself of its contents in the sand. The confusion was just too much, the utter fear was just too much!

No.. this was beyond fear. This was beyond being terrified, even. Pearl felt as if every breath she took would be her downfall, that at any moment, Death would bear down on her and her teammates with the intent to kill.

What Pearl felt was complete and utter hopelessness.

 **PLEASE DON'T THREATEN ME AGAIN.**

Pearl froze, holding a hand over her mouth. She felt that any more heaving.. anything that wasn't an answer to this man would mean her certain doom. So she just nodded, not daring to look Death in His piercing eyes.

"What was that..?"

Pearl shot a sideways glance toward Amethyst, who was sitting in the sand. She was propping herself up with her arms, though her entire body was shaking. Had she gone through the same experience as Pearl?

 **I SHOWED YOU WHAT I LOOK TO YOU IN YOUR MIND'S EYE.**

Death explained this calmly, as if this were a natural occurrence. Considering his separation from time, it might as well be.

 **THOUGH, PEARL HAS THE MOST INTERESTING IMAGINATION OF ME THAT I'VE SEEN.**

Just the fact that He knew her name made Pearl want to vomit even more than she already has.

"Why are you here?"

Even Garnet's voice was shaky.. Pearl didn't need to look up at their leader to know that she was just as scared as Amethyst and herself.

 **I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU A QUESTION.**

"Bullshit!" Amethyst's outburst forced Pearl to look up from her heaving. The purple gem was on her feet now, obviously still terrified, but also angry.

"Why would you come here just to ask a question?! You're.. you're Death, for fuck's sake!" Pearl didn't mind Amethyst's swearing.. in fact, she only hoped that she wouldn't be killed more quickly just because of it.

"I-If you're gonna do us in, don't beat around the bush, okay!" Amethyst had tears running down her cheeks. If she was going to die.. she wanted it to be as quick as possible.

"Death doesn't have a reason to lie." Garnet was the voice of reason.. though she was rather skeptical herself.

 **IF YOUR TIME HAD RUN OUT, YOU WOULD KNOW. TRUST ME.**

Death took what seemed to be a breath, as if preparing himself for a longer run of words than normal. Of course, the sound of his breathing sounded like wind banging against the shutters of a window, at least to the gems.

 **THE BOY IN THAT HOUSE..**

Death started, raising a bony finger to point to the beach house.

 **HE CARRIES TWO SOULS. HIS OWN, AND HIS MOTHER'S.**

The gems listened intently. Pearl had finished puking and now sat with her knees brought up to her chest. Amethyst sat beside the pristine gem, gently rubbing her back. The close contact helped both of them to calm down.. if just a little.

 **IN ALL LAWS OF NATURE, THIS SHOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE.**

"Gems are different from humans." Garnet spoke matter of factly. Death nodded his head in agreement.

 **I KNOW. I'VE CARRIED MANY OF YOUR KIND TO THE OTHER SIDE.**

 **BUT THAT BOY IS BOTH GEM AND HUMAN. THAT IS WHY I AM HERE.**

The gems stared at Death in confusion. If he wasn't here to take any of them, or to take Steven, why was he so interested in the boy?

 **I..**

Death paused here, rubbing the back of his shiny head. He actually looked away from the gems, rather awkwardly as well.

 **THERE ARE THINGS EVEN AN IMMORTAL DOESN'T UNDERSTAND.. I WISH TO STUDY HIM.**

"What do you mean by 'study'?" Garnet asked. Pearl and Amethyst stayed quiet, allowing the fusion to take charge. They were still too shaken to put in words for themselves, aside from Amethyst's earlier outburst.

 **IT'S NOT EVERY DAY THAT I ASK SOMEONE OF THIS.**

Death sighed again.

 **IF YOU'LL ALLOW ME TO STAY IN YOUR HOME FOR A FEW DAYS, MAYBE TALK TO THE BOY.. I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.**

* * *

 **Author's Note: Apologies for the long wait. I've had a lot going on, with going back into college and everything.  
**


	3. Conversation

**YOU HAVE A LOVELY HOME.**

Death said to the gems as he was lead through the beach house door, straight to the temple. His compliment completely ignored.

Garnet had agreed to let Death stay in the temple for a few days, even at Pearl and Amethyst's protests.

"Better in the temple than close to Steven.." She had reasoned, and the other two gems couldn't really argue against that logic.

Even at Death's promise to not harm the boy, they felt better keeping Him in the temple until Steven was actually awake. Of course, He agreed. He was a guest, after all.

Garnet lead Death through the temple door. Pearl voted to stay in Steven's room to watch over him, to make sure nothing supernatural was happening to him while Death was present.

But Garnet knew why Pearl didn't follow them into the temple. She was terrified. The fusion and Amethyst were as well, but Pearl got the worst of it. They had never seen her throw up before..

Amethyst stayed behind with Pearl. Not because she was afraid, but she felt the need to comfort her friend and teammate. They didn't get along very well since Rose's actual passing, but.. They needed each other at this moment.

The room that Death was The Burning Room. Once inside, Garnet took place in front of the exit. Though the door disappeared to match the room's landscape, she still felt the need to protect it.. to keep Death in the temple until morning.

Death stood in the middle of the room, just in front of the lava pit. He didn't move from His spot, taking care to not give any reason for the fusion to be suspicious of Him.

The silence that followed was almost deafening. At least, to the gem.

She stared at the skeletal figure in front of her, though it was actually quite hard to. His gaze was just as deafening as the silence..

His electric blue, infinity wieling eyes felt incredible to look into. It was as if one were looking into more than the world, more than the universe itself..

Garnet kept her gaze, no matter how difficult it was. She couldn't take her eyes off of Him, for even a second.

An hour.. Two hours pass. Well, that's what Garnet thought, at least. It was hard to tell, in the temple.

Normally, she'd be able to keep track of the time easily.

But in the presence of Death, time meant absolutely nothing.

Then He suddenly spoke.

 **I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING HER.**

Garnet crossed her arms. She would have asked who He was talking about, but she had a feeling that she knew.

 **ROSE QUARTZ.**

Death confirmed Garnet's guess.

He continued to speak about the woman, waving his hands as He did, in time with his words.

 **HER LOVE AND INTEREST IN ALL LIFE IS REMARKABLE. I WOULD HAVE ENJOYED DISCUSSING OUR MUTUAL FEELINGS.**

Garnet's been able to keep calm in His presence until now. Hearing Death say that he loved life, that he was actually interested in the way any living being would function..

Garnet became angry.

"What do you know about loving life?" She accused. The only reason she kept her arms crossed was that if she were to set her fists free, she didn't know if she could control herself. The fusion could actually feel her fists shaking under her arms.

 **YOU'RE RIGHT TO QUESTION ME.**

Death stayed calm, intent on keeping His host the same way. The last thing He wanted was to start a fight after being shown such hospitality.

 **I AM DEATH, THEREFORE THE OPPOSITE OF LIFE. BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT I DESPISE LIFE.**

 **I HAVE BEEN GUIDING SOULS TO THE OTHER SIDE FOR MANY MILLENNIA.**

Death let out a sigh. He actually sat on the ground, His skeletal legs stretching out from under His cloak as His back rested against the side of the lava pit as He prepared for a long winded speech.

 **IT'S NOT THAT I ENJOY MY WORK.** He started. **BUT IT HAS TO BE DONE.**

 **IF A SOUL IS NOT CARED FOR AFTER THE BODY DIES, THEN IT SIMPLY VANISHES.**

 **NO HEAVEN FOR CHRISTIANITY, NO REINCARNATION FOR BUDDHISM, NO ETERNAL SLEEP FOR ATHEISM.**

 **A SOUL SIMPLY CEASES TO EXIST.. NEVER TO FEEL EVER AGAIN.**

 **THAT IS MY DUTY. TO INSURE THAT SOULS CAN BE GUIDED TOWARD THE LIGHT OR THE DARKNESS, WHICHEVER THE SOUL DESIRED.**

 **THOUGH I AM DEATH, I DO NOT KILL. I ONLY ARRIVE WHEN A LIFE ENDS.**

Garnet listened to Death's words. Even if she didn't want to admit it.. He made sense. It was hard to stay angry under such an explanation.

Slowly, she uncrossed her arms and adjusted her shades, closing her eyes behind them. Garnet actually felt ashamed for her accusations.

"I'm sorry.." She whispered.

 **IT'S QUITE ALRIGHT.** He assured. **I'VE GOTTEN USED TO BEING RIDICULED BY NOW.**

Garnet opened her eyes again, taking another look at the figure before her.

At second glance, His terrifying, skeletal figure seemed weak and frail. His bony smile seemed so.. genuine. It was as if He was really happy, ecstatic even, to be having this conversation with Garnet.

The fusion realized something very important about her guest..

If ever there existed a person completely void of contact from life aside from carrying their souls to the other side, it would be Death.

If ever there existed a sad creature with the most rational reason to be sad with its very own existence, it would be Death.

If ever there existed the loneliest being in all of the infinite space and time.. It would be Death.


	4. The Meet

After Death's explanation, Garnet felt more at ease. Because of this, time seemed to run smoothly. She even began to talk casually with the skeleton, recounting stories of the war and how He was there the entire time. He admitted that He mostly hung around Pearl, due to her many sacrifices for Rose.

Garnet understood why. She was afraid that Pearl would eventually be felled by a lucky shot from an enemy. It certainly happened in many of the possibilities that the fusion saw. And, oddly enough, she felt grateful for Death because of his watchful eye.

 **THERE IS NO NEED FOR THANKS.** He said when Garnet thanked Him.

Death stood from his sitting position, gently brushing off his cloak. His electric blue eyes wandered up to one of the puddles in the ceiling of the room.

 **IT SEEMS THAT IT'S MORNING.**

Pearl and Amethyst descended from the ceiling of the Burning Room. As soon as Pearl hit the ground, she bolted to stand behind Garnet. The pristine gem couldn't stand being close to Death, and even cowering behind her leader, she still felt like being in His presence would cause her to vomit once again.

"We told Steven everything as soon as he woke up.." Amethyst explained to Garnet, a hand on her hip. She handled being near Death more calmly than Pearl did, but.. She was still very uncomfortable. "He's sitting on the couch, and we made it clear that he shouldn't move at all."

Amethyst then turned to Death, her voice just as authoritative as when she talked about Steven, if not more so.

"And _you're_ going to stand right across from him. You're gonna have your back against the wall, hands at your side where we can see 'em. You don't get near Steven, you don't touch Steven, you don't even make a move that we don't like. You talk to him. That's it."

 **I UNDERSTAND.** Death agreed without a second thought. He was invading their home, after all. Though the gems allowed Him in their home willingly, they only did so because they were terrified of what would happen if they crossed Death.

 **WOULD YOU LIKE TO TIE MY HANDS TOGETHER AS WELL?** Death suggested. **I'M SURPRISED THAT YOU DID NOT MENTION THAT IN ALL OF YOUR RESTRICTIONS.**

"Would there be a point?" Amethyst asked Him. "There's not much we can do to tie you down, I'm sure."

 **YOU'RE NOT WRONG.** He agreed. Though, He put His wrists together, holding them in front of him nonetheless. **BUT IF IT MAKES YOU FEEL MORE AT EASE, THEN BY ALL MEANS, DON'T HOLD ANYTHING BACK.**

Amethyst paused for just a second. For just a second, the purple gem believed that Death's words were sincere in the fact that He wanted to make her and the other gems as comfortable as possible as He spoke to Steven.

She shook her head, almost chuckling. Just that little gesture from Death already helped Amethyst to feel more comfortable around him.

It was a start.. to Death, at least. He had already gained Garnet's trust, and Amethyst was well on her way. But when His icy gaze fell on Pearl, her eyes having never left Him for a second as she discussed with the others how they would walk Him out, He felt as if she would be the hardest to make amends with.

"Alright." Garnet spoke up, looking toward Death, who's hands were by His sides again. "You'll go out there with Pearl. Amethyst and I will stay inside the temple until Pearl tells us that it's okay to come out, or if you attack Steven."

 **AND SHE WON'T ATTACK ME FIRST?** Death inquired, gesturing toward Pearl. Having His attention turned to her, Pearl felt as if she shrunk a few feet simply in fear.

"Pearl won't come near you unless you make a move toward Steven." Garnet answered, taking a sideways glance at the pristine gem. The way Pearl stood, her arms held in front of her body like a shield.. Garnet doubted that she would attack Death even if he were to wear Steven's heart as a brooch on his cloak.

Death made no more questions. Garnet stood to the side, away from the entrance to the temple. With an encouraging pat on the back from Amethyst, Pearl took her eyes from Death for the first time, and began to lead Him out of the temple and into the beach house. To Steven.

* * *

Steven is sitting on the couch like he was told, his legs swinging back and forth in front of him, twiddling his thumbs. He was pretty excited to meet this person who came here just to meet him. Of course he wondered why Pearl and Amethyst seemed so.. Off.

Surely the visitor wouldn't be someone that the gems couldn't handle. Steven's seen them fight before, a number of times, and it always seemed second nature to them. They never got injured, never worried.. And yet, this one visitor is able to throw everyone off. He didn't know why.

He looked toward the temple door when it opened. Normally, Steven would rush from where he was and greet Pearl with a wide smile, but he stayed right where he was.

But it wasn't just because he was told to do so. It wasn't because he was obeying his caretaker. It was because of the figure standing behind Pearl.

His head was pure white, his eyes a deep electric blue surrounded by a shroud of darkness. Steven took on this person's form in a single moment, unlike the gems, who gradually grew closer to the figure in the previous night.

Being this close to Death, some would think that a child would feel some sense of fear. That he would want to run, get as far away from this terrible being as possible. But Steven wasn't like most children.

Instead, he smiled as Death came to stand before him.

"Hi." Steven greeted. "You're Mr. D, right?"

 **MR. D?** Death asked, looking at Pearl, who sat beside Steven on the couch.

"We felt it better that he know you by that name." Pearl explained, straining to keep her voice steady.

 **I SEE.**

Death could understand why the gems would want to keep His real name secret from Steven. He was just a child, after all. But the boy deserved to know the truth.

 **STEVEN.**

Death said the name as if He knew it all of His life. Slowly, Death took a kneeling position from where He stood. Staring into the boy's brown, loving eyes, He continued to speak.

 **YOUR GUARDIANS FEEL AS IF MY TRUE NAME WOULD BRING YOU HARM. BUT I BELIEVE THAT TO TRULY INTRODUCE MYSELF TO YOU, YOU NEED TO HEAR MY NAME SPOKEN BY MYSELF.**

Death looked up to Pearl, who sank as far back into the couch as possible. Instinctively, she wrapped an arm around Steven's shoulders in a protective way.

 **IF THE BOY ALLOWS IT, MAY I SPEAK MY NAME?**

Pearl was surprised by this question. Really, she expected Death to completely neglect that rule from the start and simply tell Steven His name on a whim. But watching Him kneel like this, actually asking permission to just.. speak. It was odd.

"It's okay with me, Pearl." Steven said, looking up at his motherly figure. "It's just a name, right?"

Just a name.. If Steven knew who this person was in front of him, then he wouldn't be saying the same thing. But would it really be that bad?

In the years since she was created, Pearl always thought of herself as one of many. There were other pearls, just like her, and she was brought up to believe that she wasn't anything else.

But Rose Quartz taught her differently. Rose showed Pearl that she was more than just an object. That she was more than an accessory to be flaunted about. Rose showed Pearl that she was her own gem, her own name. Her name was Pearl, and she wore it proudly.

Tears were now welling in Pearl's eyes. She brought a hand to her mouth to keep herself from letting out a sob.

Right now, she didn't see the Grim Reaper in front of her. She didn't see a weapon of mass destruction. What she saw was a man with a name, a name that she told to keep to Himself.

Pearl nodded.

 **THANK YOU.** Death said, sincerity in his booming voice.

He looked to Steven once more, and Steven looked back. Though the boy knew that Pearl was crying, he felt that she would be fine. He needed to focus on his guest, after all.

 **MY NAME..** Death started. **IS DEATH.**

If Steven was afraid, he didn't show it. The only reaction he had was a slight widening of his eyes. Death continued.

 **I AM PLEASED TO MAKE YOUR ACQUAINTANCE.**


	5. An Uncomfortable Conversation

"Death?"

Steven spoke this name, testing the foreign word on his tongue. He knew what death was. He knew that it meant someone was going away, leaving the world of the living. He was taught this because the gems and his father thought he deserved to know about his mother. But Steven had never actually met a man called this.

 **MY NAME IS ODD, I KNOW.**

Death spoke, standing once more. Though He wanted to approach the boy that had captured His interest, He made a promise to not make any moves toward Steven. So He stood, with His back against the wall and hands at His sides, as instructed.

 **THOUGH MY NAME IS ODD, IT SUITS ME.**

Death explained, His icy stare never leaving Steven's eyes. He doesn't think that He's ever talked so much in decades. Normally, Death would speak with His hands as well, using odd movements to go along with His words. But since he was told to stay still, He would do just that.

 **I ACT AS THE BRIDGE BETWEEN THIS WORLD, AND THE WORLD AFTER.**

 **I AM HERE BECAUSE I AM SUPPOSED TO CARRY ONE OF YOU TO THE OTHER SIDE.**

Death felt that being most direct was the best for the situation. No confusion, no beating around the bush. Before He could continue, however, Steven interrupted him.

"Well.. you can't." Steven protested. "I'm not dead. And neither are the gems."

Pearl stayed quiet, allowing Death to explain everything to Steven. Her tears had already dried, but her eyes were red. This time, more than being afraid of Death, she was astonished that Steven could talk so easily with one of the Four Harbingers. She stared wide eyed at the boy, who continued to deny Death with a stern look in his eyes.

But instead of arguing, of being angered with Steven's interruption, Death let out a short, deep laugh. A chuckle, really. When He spoke, it was as if His voice was a booming storm against the shutters of a window, but His laugh.. His laugh was calmer, like a light rain, and if Pearl were alone, she would have been even more frightened by this laugh than His actual voice.

 **I CAN SEE WHY MY WORDS WOULD MISLEAD YOU..**

Death started again, His bony smile one of pure joy at being able to converse with such a soul.

 **BY "ONE OF YOU", I DID NOT MEAN I WOULD TAKE YOUR CURRENT CARETAKERS. I MEANT THE OTHER SOUL RESIDING INSIDE OF YOU, STEVEN.**

"You mean my mom?" Steven asked, clutching at his stomach, at his gem.. his mother's gem.

 **YES.**

"Steven.." Pearl spoke up for the first time, taking on the motherly roll. She held Steven close to her by his shoulders, having noticed his slight change. She could tell that he was becoming uncomfortable. "If you want to stop for the day, we can."

"It's alright." Steven answered without a second thought, his eyes never leaving Death. "I wanna know what He's talking about."

 **THEN I SHALL CONTINUE.**

Steven and Pearl nodded, but Pearl did not release her hold on Steven. She wanted to be able to make him feel as safe as possible.

 **WHAT YOUR MOTHER DID WAS BREAK THE LAWS OF NATURE ITSELF.**

Death began.

 **I WAS MEANT TO TAKE ROSE QUARTZ'S SOUL TO A PLACE OF TRANQUILITY, SO THAT SHE MAY WATCH HER COMRADES FROM AFAR TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY STAY SAFE.**

 **BUT WITHIN HER ACTIONS, GIVING BIRTH TO YOU, SHE GAVE HER SOUL TO YOU AS WELL.**

 **YOU ARE NOT ONE PERSON, BUT TWO. AND THIS FACT ALONE IS THE BANE ON MY DUTY.**

 **HOWEVER, I AM NOT ANGRY WITH YOU, OR YOUR MOTHER.**

Death said this because He noticed a shift in Steven's eyes, from wide and curious to narrow and hurtful. Though at His words, Steven calmed down. Death continued.

 **I AM MERELY CURIOUS. WHY DO YOU BELIEVE YOU EXIST? WHY DO YOU THINK YOUR MOTHER GAVE HER SOUL TO YOU? WHAT IS THIS PURPOSE FOR DEFYING NATURE?**

Death became quiet after asking his questions, waiting for Steven's answer, anxious.

But Steven remained quiet. Taking in all of this information was, with lack of a better word, difficult. Hearing these questions aimed at him, about his very existence, why he should even be alive, was a lot for a boy his age.. for anyone, really.

"That's enough.." Pearl stated firmly, pulling Steven into a hug. He didn't resist, wrapping his arms around Pearl and hiding his face in her front. She put her hands on the back of his hand and his back, holding him gently. She's sure that he would never say it, but Steven's actions said all that was needed. He was given far too much pressure in far too short of a time.

"We're done for now.." Pearl said to Death, looking up at Him with a determined glare. She would not let Him make Steven more uncomfortable. "Please." She added, hoping He would comply.

 **OF COURSE.**

Death nodded, agreeing without a moment's hesitation.

He could already tell that Steven was becoming uncomfortable with this talk. He was just a child, after all. But on the off chance that Steven would have an answer for Death, about why Rose Quartz did what she did.. well, He just wanted to take that chance on the hopes He would get His answer.

 **I APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE. PERHAPS IT WAS TOO SOON TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS.**

Slowly, Death brought His hands up to the hood of His cloak, pulling it over His head. He began to make His way toward the door that leads outside, but was stopped by Pearl's voice.

"Are you leaving?" Pearl asked. Steven would have looked up at his guest, but he just wasn't ready to meet Death's gaze again. Not after what he had just been told. Death answered without turning from the door.

 **I WILL RETURN.. BUT ANOTHER TIME. PERHAPS WHEN STEVEN IS OLDER, MORE MATURE. IT WAS A MISTAKE TO CONFRONT HIM NOW.**

"I'm sorry.." Steven whispered, barely audible with his face hidden against Pearl. "I'm sorry.." He repeated.

 **I AM THE ONE WHO IS SORRY.**

Death responded, looking back at Steven and Pearl. This time, His face was sorrowful from under His hood, His electric blue eyes now a dark, duller color. His voice was also deeper. Instead of a shuttering storm, it became a low thunder, calm, but sad. Pearl was surprised to see this side of Death.

 **IT WAS MY FAULT IN THINKING YOU WERE READY. IN MY TIMELESS EXISTENCE, I DID NOT TAKE IN THE CONSIDERATION THAT YOU ARE MERELY A CHILD. A SMART, ADMIRABLE CHILD, BUT A CHILD NONETHELESS. I HOPE I CAN MAKE THIS UP TO YOU, WHEN WE NEXT MEET. GOODBYE.**

Death turned and walked out of the door, leaving Steven to comfort himself in Pearl's grasp.

Steven stayed silent in Pearl's arms while she rubbed his back, gently rocking back and forth on the couch. The pristine gem had never expected Death to just.. leave like that.

The two sat like this for a little more than an hour. After that time passed, Garnet and Amethyst came out of the temple door to see how things were going. But they both stopped short when they found no sign of Death.

"Where is He?" Garnet asked Pearl, who only shook her head in response. Garnet understood immediately. Pearl had no idea where Death was at this moment.

"Did He hurt you?" Amethyst asked, running up to where Pearl and Steven sat, gently placing her hand on Steven's back along with Pearl's.

"No, no everything's fine." Pearl answered for Steven, who didn't even react to Amethyst's question, or her touch. "He.. He realized that what he wanted to know was too much for Steven to answer. He apologized and just.. left."

"He'll come back, though.." Garnet stated, crossing her arms. She looked down at Amethyst and Pearl, who looked up at their leader. "Won't He?" She asked.

"Yes.." Pearl answered. "He will be back, but we don't know when."

"All that matters is that everyone's safe." Garnet didn't care about why Death left, she only cared that everyone seemed to be emotionally and physically stable. Well, maybe except for the boy currently wrapped in Pearl's arms.

"Hey guys..?" Steven spoke timidly. Though he did speak, he did not lift his head from Pearl's body.

"Yes, Steven?" Pearl asked, giving Steven her complete attention, along with the other gems.

"Can we not tell Dad about this..?"

This request was reasonable. In the span of just one night, The Crystal Gems came face to face with Death Himself and actually allowed Him to speak to Steven, who they gems swore to protect from any harm.

But even if this request was reasonable for anyone else, it was surprising for Steven. It was rare for him to want to keep something from his father. Pearl thought that Steven was doing so well in meeting Death, too. He was calm, listened to what Death had to say, and when it became too much, he turned away from the conversation. Did the cloaked figure really have such an impact on Steven to make him hold onto Pearl for this long?

"Of course.." Garnet answered, adjusting her shades. "This is just between us."

The Gems had no idea when Death was going to return, and they didn't want to know. Even Garnet didn't want to look into the future for His arrival. All they wanted to do was relax and get themselves together.

The time is eight twenty-four in the morning, but to the four people sitting on and standing around the couch, it felt as if years had passed by.


	6. Second Coming

_"How on Earth did you bubble that whole thing?!"_

Pearl exclaimed this to Steven after he had told her he bubbled the Cluster. The boy's smile was wide, proud in his accomplishment, and even more so in the fact that the Cluster was sentient enough to not want to destroy the planet.

The gems are standing a ways away from the barn, near the hole Steven and Peridot created to get to the Cluster. Garnet is carrying an unconscious Lapis in her arms. She, Pearl, and Amethyst ran to meet Steven and Peridot when they approached earlier.

"We had a little help.." He explained. The gems then laughed together, happy that their home was saved. They walked to the barn, and Garnet intended to lay Lapis somewhere soft.

* * *

He watched this from His study. His study was rather odd. Though in actuality, this room is the size of a school room, maybe just a bit smaller, it looks as if the floor never ends. To see an infinite amount of space surrounded by fog, yet to be able to reach out and feel pressure against your hand as you push against a wall.. That is perception. Death was never very good at sizing up the inside of his house to the outside.

"Chamomile tea, sir?" A high, scratchy voice called from the void. An old man walked into the middle of the room, bald save for his pointed beard and mustache. Clothed in green drags and brown ragged boots, he held a plate with a cup of tea on top of that. Each dish had a skull etched into its side. His posture could have been much better than it was, as his limbs were dangly, his walk seeming forced.

 **THANK YOU ALBERT.**

Death thanked his butler, cook, and friend. He sat at a desk in the middle of this seemingly infinite space, a rather large book open in front of him. A picture of his family rested beside the book. The photo consisted of Death Himself, His adoptive daughter, her husband, and His granddaughter Susan. Susan's hair was just as white and fluffy as her mother's.

Death sighed and reached for his tea. Taking a sip from the hot drink, He sighed again in content.

 **ALBERT.**

"Yes, sir?" Albert asked, wondering if there was something wrong with the tea. That thought was quickly dismissed though. His master was Death, after all.

 **CAN YOU MAKE THE SOUP NEXT TIME?**

"Of course, sir. With chamomile?"

 **YES. WITH CHAMOMILE.**

A moment passes. Death takes another sip of his tea while Albert waits patiently to take the cup back to the kitchen. Death's Domain was ever so boring at times. But time was all they really had, so they had to live with it.

Suddenly, Death lifts his head, setting his tea cup down in its saucer.

"Sir?" Albert inquired. Whenever Death acted like he had something to do, rather than the usual, it was always interesting to hear about. Though in Albert's opinion, Death should leave the mortals to their own devices, rather than intervene.

 **I HAVE TO GO.**

Death stood from his desk and pulled his hood over his head.

"Shall I get Binky ready, sir?" Albert offered to fetch Death's pristine horse, though he knew the answer to the question.

 **NO, ALBERT. I'LL LEAVE THE DISHES TO YOU.**

Death walked around his desk, making his way from the house. He knew, or rather remembered, that Steven was ready.

* * *

"It was an ordeal." Peridot said, complaining to Amethyst about what went on down at the Cluster. "I swear it was going to kill us at some point."

The gems except for Garnet and Steven stood outside of the barn. Pearl stood with her back against the barn, arms crossed, and Peridot and Amethyst stood in front of her during their conversation.

"Yeah, but it didn't." Amethyst reasoned, lightly punching Peridot's shoulder. "You're alive and kicking, still together."

"Yes.." Peridot agreed, smiling bashfully. Happy. "I suppose I am. We have Steven to thank that we're all alive."

"How are you, by the way?" Pearl asked Steven, who had just walked out of the barn with Garnet. "I'm surprised making a bubble that big hasn't tired you out."

"Well all of the gem shards were helping me." Steven explained. "I couldn't have done it without them."

"Still, it's no small feat to make a bubble that big." Garnet commented, standing beside Pearl. "Even with help, I doubt any of us could have done it. You're getting stronger, Steven. Much stronger."

Steven smiled bashfully and looked away, gently gripping his arm. The gems smiled at him, each silently agreeing that Steven had grown tremendously. Soon, he would be even stronger.

 **YES.. YOU HAVE BECOME STRONG, STEVEN.**

A voice boomed across the landscape, like a torrent of waves crashing into the minds of the gems. Peridot, who was the only one unfamiliar with such an experience, covered her ears, letting out a yell as she crouched on the ground.

Pearl instinctively gripped Steven's shoulder from behind. Garnet and Amethyst stood in front of him protectively. They all remembered that deep, crashing voice. How could they not? Even Steven turned his head toward where he knew Death stood. He couldn't see the cloaked figure passed Garnet and Amethyst, but he just knew.

Death stood a ways away from the barn, His horse Binky by his side. The horse lazily nibbled at what grass there was around, and the cloaked man stood still, hood pulled over his head and cloak billowing in the wind. His scythe was folded and stored in His horse's saddle.

"What is that..?" Came a hushed, scared whisper. The gems looked down to find that Peridot was clinging onto Steven's other shoulder. Her eyes were wide in fear, and one of her hands was still covering one of her ears. Pearl, Amethyst, and Garnet wondered if that's how they looked to Death when they first met Him.

"He's not going to harm us.." Garnet said in an attempt to calm the green gem down. She got on one knee, getting as close to Peridot's side as she could and wrapped an arm around her waist. Peridot sure needed the comfort. "He only wants to ask Steven a question."

 **I'M GLAD YOU REMEMBER ME, GARNET.**

It sent chills up Garnet's spine when Death spoke her name. Even after she understood Him to be a neutral being, rather than a malevolent one, He still instilled a sense of terror in her. If He so desired, He could most likely bring their time to an end with a simple flip of an hourglass.

"He is Death.." Pearl informed Peridot. "He came to us a few years ago, when Steven first started living with us. All he wanted to know was why Steven believes he exists."

"You mean how Rose Quartz gave up her form to create him?" Peridot asked, earning a nod from Pearl.

"He scared us last time.." Amethyst whispered, keeping a hand over her chest. She prepared to draw her weapon, but she doubted it would do anything against the carrier of souls.

 **I'M SORRY FOR SCARING YOU THAT TIME.**

Death apologized, pulling His hood back from His head to reveal His smooth skull. When Peridot looked into His electric, infinitely deep blue eyes, she felt a strange feeling in her stomach. The green gem put a hand to her mouth and turned away, afraid that if she were to stare any longer, her physical form would cease to be.

"It's alright.." Garnet whispered to Peridot. She attempted to soothe the green gem, gently rubbing her side. "He means us no harm."

"I.. I believe you.." Peridot replied, weakly. Still, she couldn't control her shivering. "I just can't look at Him.. Don't make me look at Him."

"We won't.." Garnet looked up at her other teammates, Pearl having taken Garnet's place in front of Steven to protect him. "Pearl, Amethyst.. You can take Peridot in the barn. I'll stay out here with Steven."

"Are you sure..?" Amethyst asked the leader, daring to take her eyes off of Death. Pearl, on the other hand, never stopped staring at Him. Just like last time, she wanted to make sure He would do nothing to harm Rose's legacy. Even if they came to be on even terms those years ago.. time changes people.

"I'm sure.. Pearl." Garnet addressed the pristine gem, knowing she was the most fearful of the cloaked skeleton. "I'll be fine. We'll be fine.."

Pearl didn't say anything. Instead, she just acted accordingly to Garnet's wishes. Slowly, she backed away from Steven, from Death. She gripped Perridot's hand, leading her into the barn, followed by Amethyst. Garnet stood from where she was, coming to stand behind Steven protectively, hands on his shoulders.

 **I ASSUME YOU KNOW WHY I'M HERE?**

Death asked, earning a nod from Steven.

"I think I remember.. You wanna know why I think I exist, right?"

Death nodded. That was all Steven needed to know. He turned to look up at Garnet, a small smile adorning his otherwise emotionless face.

"You can go inside too, Garnet.. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure, Steven?" It went against all of the fusion's instincts to leave Steven alone with Death himself. But if he was absolutely sure about this, then there was nothing she could do.

"Mhm." Steven assured. "He won't hurt me.. He would have done it already if He wanted to."

 **YOU'VE GROWN MORE WISE AS WELL.**

Death complemented Steven, causing him to smile even more widely. Garnet was still unsure about leaving the two alone.. But she would have to deal with it.

"Alright." Without another word, the fusion turned and headed into the barn.

Now alone with Death, Steven stood with his hands by his sides. He looked Death in the eyes, his own brown eyes filled with determination. Whatever Death wanted, Steven was sure he was ready.

 **SO..**

Death began. His voice was just a pitch higher, in excitement, one could say.

 **WHY DO YOU EXIST?**

This was it. The big question. It was weird, really.

So many things happened in Steven's life since his last encounter with Death.

He made friends. He made enemies. He saved people. He saved the world. Really, there are just too many events that have occurred to count them all.

Would it be possible to recount his feelings to Death? No, he didn't think so. Too many things happened in such a small amount of time. But in all of those events, Steven learned about himself.

He learned that he was different. He is both human and gem, yet not either at the same time. He learned that his mother, Rose Quartz, wanted him to live a full, safe, exciting life of a human. His life has been exciting, sure, but was he really human? As Steven pondered this, Death waited patiently for His answer.

Then Steven took a breath. Clutching at his stomach, he spoke.

"I really don't know."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Sorry if this chapter is really crappy. As I said in my most recent chapter to "Hell Hath no Fury", I got my wisdom teeth taken out recently. Anyway, be on the lookout for the next chapter of "Love is Weird." It's been a while since I've updated that one, so it'll be good to get back into it.**


	7. Understanding

**YOU DON'T KNOW?**

Death asked this question of Steven, who nodded in response.

 **WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW?**

Steven could feel a flicker of disappointment coming from the man known as Death. The carrier of souls really seemed to want to know what Steven thought of his existence. Though Steven felt pressured, he still smiled. He smiled because he didn't know why he existed.

"I mean I don't know." The boy replied. He looked to the ground, remembering the message his mother had left him. "My mom.. She left me a video."

 **WHAT DOES A VIDEO HAVE TO DO WITH YOUR EXISTENCE?**

Death asked, crossing His arms. Steven looked up from the ground, staring into the infinity of His blue stare. "Everything."

"She told me.." Steven started, clutching his stomach even more tightly than before. "..that I was going to be something extraordinary. That I was going to be a human being. But I don't _feel_ human."

 **ARE YOU SAYING YOU FEEL MORE LIKE A GEM?**

Steven shook his head. "No, I don't feel like a gem either."

 **WHAT** _ **DO**_ **YOU FEEL LIKE?**

It was clear to Steven that even though Death was a timeless being, He was starting to grow impatient. Tears started to leak from the corner of his eyes. His smile just as wide as before, Steven cried as he spoke.

"I know that I'm both of them. Human and gem, but.. It feels like I don't belong to either side." Steven took a breath, feeling his throat constrict. "What am I to humans because I have powers? What am I to gems because I'm so weak? I-I don't know!"

Steven let go of his stomach, of his gem, clutching at his head with both hands instead.

Death sighed. He should have known that Steven would never be ready, not as a child at least. Slowly, He pulled His hood over His head and snapped His fingers for His horse. Binky came to His side in an instant, and Death climbed into the saddle, taking the reins.

 **I WILL RETURN AGAIN.. I HOPE YOU WILL HAVE MY ANSWER NEXT TIME.**

"What about you?" Steven asked, looking up at Death on His white horse. "Why do you exist?" Without hesitation, Death answers.

 **I EXIST TO CARRY SOULS OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE. WHETHER THEY BE RELIGIOUS OR SIMPLY BELIEVE THEY WILL ROT IN THE GROUND. THAT IS MY DUTY. IF I DO NOT HELP THEM, THEY CEASE TO BE.**

"What's it like..? To know why you exist?"

Death did not expect this question. For a moment, the reaper of souls was actually surprised. Stumped. What did it feel like to know why He lives? To know why He walks this Earth? What did Death feel like to actually know of His existence and acknowledge His purpose, where billions of humans do not? For the first time, Death thought about his existence, turning His gaze toward the ground.

Death thought about the hundreds of billions of souls He guided to the other side. His conversations with each and every one of them was implanted in Him. He remembered them all. He remembered how afraid they were to see Him. How badly they didn't want to die.

Then He thought about Steven's answer. What was it like to _not_ know? What was it like to wonder about your existence, to be free to think about what one _could_ be, rather than what one _is._ Was Steven really so in the wrong for not knowing why he was born?

 **IT'S.. LONELY.**

Without looking up, Death and His horse began to walk away. Steven stood up straight and wiped his tears. He wanted to talk more with Death, to ask Him more questions, to be able to give Him what He wanted. But Steven didn't say a word. He watched as Death disappeared from his sight, returning to wherever He came from.

It was so surreal. If Steven didn't know any better, he would think he'd be dreaming. But he did know better. He knew better because he knew the kinds of dreams he had.

Steven sighed and turned around to face the barn. The gems were in there, waiting for him. He'd better not keep them waiting.

Slowly, he reached for one of the handles of the barn's double doors. He pulled, and it swung open easily. Really, opening this door, which he'd normally have just a little struggle with, was the easiest thing he's ever done in his life. At least for today.

"Guys..?" He called quietly, poking his head through the barn door. He was pulled inside by thin, white arms, quickly being pressed against Pearl's body in a tight hug.

"Oh thank goodness you're alright.." She whispered. "When Garnet came in alone, I was so afraid for you." Pearl suddenly pulled Steven away from her, looking him up and down. "He didn't hurt you, did He?"

To Steven, being pulled so forcefully into a hug and pushed away just as forcefully should have been a blur to him. But not today. In the split second it took for Pearl to pull him into the barn, Steven saw the worried faces of his family.

Garnet stood at the back of the barn next to the sleeping Lapis, arms crossed, back against the wall. Her smile showed great relief in seeing that Steven was alright. Amethyst sat with Peridot in the middle of the floor. Peridot was curled in a ball in a sitting position, visibly shivering. Amethyst rubbed the green gem's back, trying to calm her down. And then there was Pearl, now staring at Steven, waiting for his answer. So he smiled, and gave her what she wanted.

"I'm fine, Pearl."

Just like that, Steven was being smothered again. But he didn't mind. He wrapped his arms around her in turn, laughing in relief. With the boy's laughter, the tension in the room slowly evaporated.

Amethyst laughed with Steven, and Pearl joined shortly afterward. Peridot's shivering came to a stop, and Amethyst asked if she was alright. With a nod and a thanks, the green gem stood and went to join Steven and Pearl. Being closed to him helped her tremendously. Amethyst followed soon after, initiating a group hug between the four of them. They all laughed, glad that everything was alright. But Garnet had a question that just had to put everyone down again.

"Where is He?"

Everyone's laughter died down. They all pulled away from each other, looking to the middle of the barn, where Garnet now stood. Steven didn't want to talk about Him anymore.. but he knew Garnet wouldn't let up.

"He went back to.. to wherever He goes back to."

"Will He come back?"

Yet more questions. Would Steven ever escape these irritating questions? Yes, yes he would. After today, he's sure that the gems would agree with him that he needs his space.

"He said He would." Steven answered, much to Peridot's dismay.

"He can't come back!" The green gem wailed, grabbing onto Steven's arm. "I don't want Him to come back!"

Steven gave Peridot a quick, reassuring smile, then turned his attention back to Garnet. "He said He would.. But I don't think He will."

"What makes you think that?" Garnet asked.

"I think I made Him sad." Steven looked toward the ground, remembering Death's somber tone when He spoke those last words. That was the voice of a tired man, one who's seen more than one ever needs to see. "I told Him I didn't know why I exist, and don't try to tell me either."

Steven said this because he knew Pearl would tell him that he existed because of Rose. He knows _how_ he exists. That's not what Death was asking.

"He kept asking me question, and I got so.. Frustrated. I was scared because I don't know what I'm supposed to do.."

"Oh Steven.." Pearl whispered, holding a hand over her mouth. Amethyst had resumed rubbing Peridot's back, because the green gem was watching her dear friend suffer.

"But.." Steven continued. "..I asked Him the same question. I asked Him why He exists, and He gave me an answer. An actual answer. But then I asked Him how it felt, to know everything about Himself." Steven looked up at Garnet again, and the fusion saw something extraordinary in Steven's eyes.

Pity. Pity for Death.

"He said it felt lonely."

Garnet knew this already. She knew that Death was a lonely creature, possibly the loneliest in the known universe. The fusion looked down at Amethyst, who returned Garnet's gaze. If anyone in this room were to know what being lonely felt like, it would be Amethyst.

But even more so than Amethyst, it would be Lapis. Trapped for thousands of years in a confined space, unable to converse with the people around her, only able to watch and observe. Much like Death. But even in those many years Lapis remained dormant, Death has lived through the same pain since the beginning of time.

"If.. If that's what it's like to know why I exist, then I don't want to know." Steven continued, staring at the ground once more. His fists were shaking by his sides. "I don't want to be alone."

"You're never alone." Garnet said softly, but sternly. She knelt in front of Steven, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. He looked up into her eyes. She had removed her shades. "You'll always have us, whether you know why you walk the Earth or not. The truth is, I don't know why I'm here, either."

"You don't?" Steven asked, his voice high, shaky. He was hopeful.

"No." Garnet confirmed with a smile. "None of us do. What created us? What purpose are we given? Those are questions we can't answer.. But we _can_ choose our own path. Steven, we choose to protect you. We choose to live with you, to stay beside you in the darkest of times, because we love you. There doesn't need to be a reason behind it. We're happy just the way we are. And you have that same privilege."

Steven looked around the room. Pearl was smiling widely, tears in her eyes. Amethyst was smirking, using Peridot's shoulder as an arm rest. The green gem had her hands clasped together, also mesmerized by Garnet's words. Then Steven looked again at Garnet. Once again, Steven felt at peace, all thanks to his family. He wrapped his arms around Garnet, quickly followed by everyone else. With such an eventful day, Steven had just enough energy for two more words.

"Thank you."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Well there it is. I hope you enjoyed this little tidbit of Steven's encounter with the Grim Reaper. It's been a blast writing it, but it has to end sometime.**

 **I mentioned at the beginning of the story that this wouldn't be long, and it took me much longer to finish it than I thought it would. But with this story's completion, I'll be free to work on my other projects, and maybe start on a new story.**

 **Be on the lookout for the next chapter of "Hell Hath no Fury". As always, so long for now.**


End file.
